Cancer Biology

Question 1

General term referring to the proliferation of cells within an organ or tissue. it can result in the gross enlargement of an organ or in a benign tumor

Answer 1

hyperplasia

Question 2

an adaptive substitution of one type of adult tissue to another type of adult tissue. Under stress a more vulnerable type of tissue will be replaced by another more capable of withstanding stress

Answer 2

metaplasia

Question 3

an abnormality in cell size, appearance, with or without a disorganized growth pattern

Answer 3

dysplasia

Question 4

general term for either benign or malignant tumors. a disease of cells characterized by alternation of normal growth regulatory mechanisms.

Answer 4

neoplasia

Question 5

benign epithelial neoplasm

Answer 5

adenoma

Question 6

benign mesenchymal neoplasm

Answer 6

lipoma

Question 7

malignant epithelial neoplasm

Answer 7

carcinoma

Question 8

malignant mesenchymal neoplasm

Answer 8

sarcoma

Question 9

malignant neoplasm of lymphoid cells

Answer 9

lymphoma/leukemia

Question 10

Mutation repeatedly found in many different types of cancers. Likely involved in development and progression of cancer.

Answer 10

Driver gene mutations

Question 11

Mutations that appear to be random. Likely occurred as cancer developed

Answer 11

Passenger mutations

Question 12

Two things p53 can do in the event of damaged DNA

Answer 12

Arrest the cell cycle or stimulate apoptosis

Question 13

In response to a dsDNA break, ____ is phosphorylated which then activates _____ which can activate p53 and BRCA1

Answer 13

ATM; CHEK2

Question 14

Two general ways for tumorigenesis to happen

Answer 14

1) a large number of cells becomes increased target for additional mutations
2) not all cells are identical but cancer cells selected for proliferability

Question 15

Growth-promoting oncogenes: gain or loss of function

Answer 15

gain of function

Question 16

growth-inhibiting tumor suppressor genes: gain or loss of function in cancer

Answer 16

loss of function

Question 17

What have the ability to promote cell growth in the absence of normal growth-promoting signals

Answer 17

oncogenes

Question 18

Six essential alternations for malignant transformation in cancer

Answer 18

1) self-sufficiency in growth signals
2) insensitivity to growth-inhibitory signals
3) evasion of apoptosis
4) limitless replicative potential
5) sustained angiogenesis
6) ability to invade and metastasize

Question 19

Many cancer cells have the ability to synthesize same growth factor to which they are responsive. What kind of mechanism is this?

Answer 19

autocrine stimulation

Question 20

Oncogenes may encode faulty growth factor receptors. What’s wrong with them

Answer 20

They are activated without binding to growth factor

Question 21

RAS, which is often left unchecked, is an example of…

Answer 21

an oncogene

Question 22

The BCR-abl transcript, which is a fusion gene from chromosomal translocation, is an oncogene. How can its activity be described?

Answer 22

It’s a constitutive kinase

Question 23

The drug that inhibits BCR-ABL kinase

Answer 23

imatinib mesylate (gleevec)

Question 24

Protects cells from apoptosis. Overexpression is typical in beta-cell follicular lymphomas

Answer 24

Bcl-2

Question 25

Pro-angiogenic cytokines (2)

Answer 25

VEGF (Vascular endothelial growth factor) and bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor)

Question 26

Which two epigenetic enzymes can be malfunctional and lead to cancer?

Answer 26

DNMT and HDAC

Question 27

Virus affecting the DNA genome and causing liver cancer

Answer 27

Hepatitis B

Question 28

Virus affecting the RNA genome and causing liver cancer

Answer 28

Hepatitis C

Question 29

Which oncoprotein associated with HPV stimulates the degradation of p53?

Answer 29

E6

Question 30

Which oncoprotein associated with HPV inhibits Rb?

Answer 30

E7